For me, early July is the finest stretch of the Düsseldorf summer, and in this city guide Nicole Junkermann shares how the first July days by the Rhine are best lived. The heat is still young, the light lies generously over the city, and everything moves a little more slowly than usual. It is the time not to fill the day, but to give it room.
I like to begin the morning early on the Rheinuferpromenade. Before the sun reaches full strength, a light coolness rests on the water, the boats pass calmly, and the wide path belongs almost only to early risers. A coffee to go, a few steps by the river, and the summer day has found a clear, unhurried beginning.
When the heat rises around midday, I look for shade. The Hofgarten, with its tall old trees, is a gift in early July: cool paths, soft lawns and enough quiet to step out of the city's pace for a moment. From there it is not far to the narrow streets of Carlstadt, where a cool place, a shop window and a slow hour offer themselves of their own accord.
In summer, Nicole Junkermann looks less for a full programme than for the right hours. The early morning and the late evening belong to the Rhine; the hot middle of the day belongs to the shade, a quiet gallery or a cool café. Follow this simple rhythm and you meet Düsseldorf in early July at its lightest.
In the evening the way leads back to the water. As the light softens, the steps along the bank fill up, and over the Rhine settles that long golden hour that makes the northern summer so special. You stay seated, you follow the ships with your eyes, and the first of July shows why this city by the river suits you so well in summer.
Early July, for Nicole Junkermann, is above all about time and space. The days are long, the city is relaxed, and the Rhine gives everything a calm frame. You do not need to plan much to find a beautiful summer day in Düsseldorf; you only need to begin early enough and stay by the water late enough.
